Self Discovery
by David Stroud-Swan
Summary: This is a story about Misto and Tugger falling for each other after Misto escapes the clutches of his evil father Macavity.  Slash; don't like, don't read.  Please rate and review.
1. Chapter 1

_Mistoffelees had a rather dark and miserable past as a kitten, though that was to be expected, since his father was the exceptionally-sadistic, well-known criminal cat Macavity. This is the story that tells how a young adolescent kitten grew up to become the Magical, Marvellous Mr. Mistoffelees, partner to the Rum Tum Tugger and friend to all Jellicle cats. _

Macavity's mate changed on a weekly basis, and sometimes even more often, so it's anyone's guess as to who Mistoffelees' mother was. All Macavity knew was that once, when he was sitting outside, he caught the scent of a magical kitten being born. Knowing the probability of that kitten not being his was almost zero, he knew he had to have him. Macavity might not die for a long, long time, but what if something happened to him eventually? Who would carry on his legacy? He needed this kitten to be his apprentice and successor, and thus conjured him away from his mother without further consideration.

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><p>It was Mistoffelees' birthday, with exactly one year left until he'd become a Tom. Macavity, being the hardened criminal that he was, never acknowledged this special day, leaving Misto feeling worthless – and in the eyes of his father, he <em>would<em> be useless until he was a Tom. The closest Misto ever got to affection was when his father sadistically raped him from time to time, leaving him feeling used and dirty. And today was his birthday, but nobody seemed to care.

Misto started to wonder if he should run away. There was really nothing here for him anyway, so what difference would it make? After thinking about it for a few long hours, he grabbed a small bag and started packing what few belongings he had.

Years ago, Macavity enchanted a ring that he kept in his bedside drawer, which was from a set of miniature furniture that he once stole from an interior designer. The ring's sole purpose was to cloak its wearer from detection by other magical cats; the reason Macavity created it in the first place was because he was paranoid another cat as powerful as him would find him eventually. Mistoffelees knew that if he stole the ring from his father's drawer, he could escape from his prison-like home undetected.

Creeping into his father's bedroom, petrified that he might wake him up, Misto reached the drawer and opened it ever so slowly, reaching in and extracting the ring from the bit of cotton on which it sat. Closing the drawer again, he put the ring on his index finger and started to slink out, careful to conceal his new advantage by keeping his paw on his hip with the ring facing inward.

Just before he reached the door, Macavity sat bolt-upright and yelled, "Mistoffelees! What the hell are you doing in here? You know my bedroom is off-limits!" Fearing this would happen, Misto still had a plan. He plastered on the slyest fake smile he could and turned around, saying, "It was an experiment. You've always pushed me and pushed me to go beyond my limits and impress you. Voilà, I've managed to get into your room without you noticing. I think that's pretty damn good." Macavity, cooling down, replied, "You mischievous cat, you. Well, consider me impressed. Now get out and let me get some rest; you startled me."

Bowing his head slightly, Misto left the room, affording himself a genuine smile of victory once he was out. It was time for another experiment to see just how well the ring worked. Being nowhere close to as powerful as his father, Misto used every ounce of concentration to transfer the enchantment from the ring to within himself. Once finished, he destroyed the ring with a small burst of sparks, the extent of his ability. Since Macavity didn't respond to that tiny use of magic, Misto assumed that the enchantment was working.

Returning to his room, Misto realized that he should check his belongings in case they were enchanted to act as locators. He found that everything was as he suspected, except for one item, for which Misto was glad because this was the item that had the most sentimental value. It was a small, hand-crafted silver necklace that his mother had put on him when he was a kitten, not long before he was conjured away by his most despicable father. He donned the necklace and left everything else behind; there was nothing left here for him.

Walking up to the open door of the abandoned barn Macavity used as his residence, Misto put on his father's coat that was lying to one side, flipped the hood up, and strode into a rather dark storm that was not so unusual for the area. He walked a few kilometers when he came across a Frito-Lay supply truck, and realizing he hadn't had anything to eat, he unassumingly removed a few snack-sized bags of Lays chips and put them in the empty cloth bag he carried. Misto had always liked potato chips, which some cats he encountered thought was a bit strange, but to each his own he supposed. Tearing open one bag and snacking as he went, he eventually stumbled upon the outskirts of a junkyard, in which he found an old, broken-down van that could serve as effective shelter – he was really tired and needed a decent rest. He lay down on one of the car seats and fell fast asleep almost immediately.

The Rum Tum Tugger, who usually preferred to just be called _Tugger_, was a curious cat with overly promiscuous ways; it was unlikely to find him without a queen – or occasionally a tom – in his bed with him in the day when he slept. Requiring what seemed to be constant attention, he could usually be found with his fan club clinging to him, comprised of Electra, Etcetera, and Jemima. Bombalurina usually hung to one side, hoping to get lucky and be Tugger's 'date' that night, though they had already slept with each other many times. He once had a fling with Alonzo a couple years back, but him and Tugger's brother Munkustrap were now partners, so he was off-limits.

On occasion, though, Tugger enjoyed solitude and took walks on the outskirts of the junkyard that was central to all Jellicles. As he took one of these walks, he began to smell something strange. It didn't smell like any of the others in the tribe, and it didn't smell like Macavity, but seemed to be a new cat altogether. Curiously, Tugger poked around until he found an unfamiliar black tuxedo cat lying on the seat of the old van, still fast asleep regardless of it being at least two hours past dusk.

Something about this petite tuxedo cat made Tugger's heart skip a beat, and Tugger couldn't help but think that he could get used to a long-term rel... A voice in the back of his head cut off his train of though. _Tugger, don't think like that! He's just a kitten. And you're not even capable of a real relationship anyway._ Then again, he looked like he wasn't far off from being a Tom, and he might succeed in a relationship if he really tried... _Stop it. You know it's against the rules set by Old Deuteronomy. It's forbidden to sleep with a kitten._ But that didn't mean Tugger couldn't be friendly until it was the other cat's birthday.

He nudged the sleeping cat with his paw gently and said, "Hey, sleeping beauty, it's way past dusk and you're still asleep." Misto sat bolt-upright, extended his claws, and hissed. Tugger took a step back and said, "Woah, I'm not gonna hurt you, kit. By the way, the name's Rum Tum Tugger, but everyone just calls me Tugger. What's yours?"

Realizing that it wasn't his father or one of his father's henchcats, Misto calmed down, retracted his claws, and said, "Sorry. I'd say I had a bad night, but since every night's a bad night for me, I'll just go with this: I had a bad existence, and tend to be a bit on edge. My name is Mistoffelees, but I'd prefer to be called Misto – my full name brings back too many fresh memories of my father..." Misto shook his head to clear those thoughts. "I suppose this is your area, so I'll be on my way – I didn't mean to intrude."

Tugger quickly said, "You don't have to go, and it looks to me that you could use a warm place to stay. I'll have to talk to Old Deuteronomy about letting you stay here and be part of our tribe – we call ourselves Jellicle cats. Would you like that, or would you prefer to continue your nomadic lifestyle?"

Misto beamed, overjoyed, and said, "I'd love that; I really do need a place to stay. I just recently escaped the clutches of my father, Macavity."

At the mention of Macavity's name, Tugger's coat stood a little on end, and he said, "Macavity is the ultimate enemy of this tribe. He was once part of it, but his inner evil corrupted him, and he was banished after committing a series of awful crimes, including one murder. Macavity is also my paternal, much older half-brother; my father is Old Deuteronomy. Now tell me, how can we trust that you aren't a spy for him?"

"He raped me repeatedly, made me bleed, and scarred me from having his claws out and digging into my hips – I can show you the scars if you want. I hate him – he put me through a ton of pain. It's not like I ever even slightly enjoyed it, because he went too damn hard. I'd rather die than help him."

Tugger became a bit aroused at the story, but again mentally berated himself. "I'm so sorry to hear that; we have a rule here that allows us to unconditionally accept victims of Macavity's crimes. I'll still have to tell Old Deuteronomy, but your acceptance is pretty much guaranteed. Listen, you can bunk with me if you want."

_Why did I just offer for him to stay with me? That means I can't have queens over while he's around! Then again, I suppose it's a small sacrifice to make for a chance at winning Misto's heart. And if I succeed, and Misto and I both told Old Deuteronomy we love each other, the Jellicle leader might be persuaded to lift the ban on sleeping with kittens this once because of Misto being so close to being a Tom. But can I keep a hold of myself long enough? I guess I don't have much of a choice now anyway – the offer's out now and I'd nix any chance I have with him if I retract it. Well, it'll probably be worth it in the end anyway. _

Misto replied, "I'd like that. After all, I just got to know you pretty well, and I'm already comfortable being around you. That's a big compliment, because I'm usually really, really skittish."

"Perfect; my bed's huge and has plenty of room for two cats. Come on, I'll show you where my den is."


	2. Chapter 2

Two months following Misto's arrival and official acceptance by Old Deuteronomy into the tribe, Tugger was fixing his fur when he saw in the mirror that behind him, Misto was conjuring little bits of fluff from the ground, making them float in the air, and then incinerating them idly. Tugger turned around and said, in a voice somewhat alarmed, "How are you doing that?"

Misto replied, "It's about the most impressive thing I can do with the dribbles of magic that were passed down to me by my father. If I try anything bigger than this, except maybe making my fur sparkle, I get tired and sick to my stomach, at which time I've got to lie down. My father always told me that my powers would increase ten-fold on the day I become a Tom, but I don't know if I fully believe him."

"Well, it's astounding to say the least. The most impressive thing I can do is this," at which time Tugger started to rhythmically sway his hips in the way that made all the queens melt with desire.

"It's impressing me", Misto stammered, embarrassed at his entranced state. He'd been harbouring a bit of a crush on Tugger for the past few weeks, but was uncertain as to whether Tugger felt the same way, or if the crush was even appropriate. He decided to not breathe a word of his crush to Tugger, intent on letting the Maine Coon make the first move.

Tugger went back to fixing his fur in a most fastidious fashion, as he did every day, so as to look his absolute best. Without turning around, he said, "You know, Misto, I've been noticing your awkwardness at every one of my mildly suggestive comments or dance moves, and I want to make something clear to you. Old Deuteronomy has a rule that prevents kittens from mating with toms, but he has been known to make exceptions if a kitten who's less than a year away from being a tom finds a potential mate and falls in love. And I'm not opposed to any level you want to take our friendship/relationship to. If you want to take this to the next level, I'd be ecstatic, but if you want things to stay as they are, that's fine too. Just don't feel worried that I won't reciprocate or that any advances would be wrong, okay?"

Misto's skin went a deep red, showing through the white fur on his face ever so slightly, and he said, "Tugger, I never knew you felt that way about me. I... I'm at a loss for words. I'd love to take this to the next level; let's see Old Deuteronomy as soon as he's in." He smiled and Tugger smiled back. Tugger replied, "He's in right now – I saw him arrive this evening for a visit. Instead of procrastinating, why don't we go now?" Misto smiled and nodded his head once.

Holding hands, Tugger and Misto arrived at the tire that the Jellicle leader resided upon during visits. As they approached, Old Deuteronomy said, "Well hello, Tugger, Misto. Please, sit down; I have a box of cat treats we can share that Victoria most kindly gave me."

Sitting down, Tugger said, "Father, Misto and I are in love. We've lived with each other for two months, and that's really shown me how he makes me a better cat; we compliment each other's qualities. I'm spontaneous and he's carefully planning. I'm sexy and he's elegant. I'm outgoing and he's soft-spoken. My fur's long and his is short. I'm an excellent singer, and he's an excellent dancer. We're practically made for each other, but as you know, there's a rule that prevents me from actually mating with Misto because he's still ten months away from being a Tom. We were wondering if..." Old Deuteronomy cut in, "Of course. Any cat with half of his senses still working can see that you two would make the perfect couple –l and I'm just glad that this will put a stop to your disturbingly promiscuous ways. Everlasting Cat, you're holding hands and not even consciously thinking about it because of how in tune you are with each other. You may disregard the rule in this circumstance."

Tugger hugged the old cat and said, "Thank you, father. You're the best." Old Deuteronomy smiled bemusedly as the new couple walked back to their den, thinking. _And who would have thought that my youngest son, who flirts with queens like there's no tomorrow, would be capable of a real relationship. Stranger yet, with a Tom. Ah, well – the world works in mysterious ways, I suppose. _


	3. Chapter 3

_This is more of a practice-and-see-if-I-can-write-a-sex-scene chapter than anything else; if you don't like explicit content, just know that Misto and Tugger are now mates, and skip to the next chapter. _

_Warning: this segment contains mature content not suitable for individuals younger than 18. The following depicts acts of a sexual nature between two non-human males; if you find this type of material offensive or are underaged, please do not read it. You have been warned._

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><p>When the couple arrived back at there den, Tugger was the first to sit down on the bed. Misto smiled seductively, said "I've been looking forward to the moment I could do this," and jumped onto his partner, straddling his waist, as he started to move his butt back and forth over Tugger's manhood.<p>

Tugger looked surprised at first, then started to get aroused and succumbed to his partner's advances. As his member started to emerge, he said, "Misto, I'm pretty big. Are you sure you want to start this way, or do you want me to loosen you up a bit first? I just don't want to hurt you."

"I'll be fine, trust me." Misto noticed an open container of Vaseline beside Tugger's bed that was twice the size of his paw. He reached over and got some, rubbing it on Tugger's member. Raising himself up, he positioned himself and slowly came down, allowing himself to be penetrated while letting out an uncontrollable purr as he had his first consensual sexual experience.

Tugger started to match the movements of his partner's hips with his own thrusts, purring contentedly himself. He couldn't believe he was mating with the Tom he had had a crush on since they first met – toms usually declined him anyway. Not that any of it mattered; he was making love to Misto, and that was enough to occupy his mind entirely.

Misto moaned as he reached his climax, having what he though was the best orgasm ever. Not two thrusts later, Tugger spilled inside Misto, and they both collapsed in ecstasy. Misto kissed Tugger and then said, "That was even better than I ever imagined." Tugger's response was simply, "Yeah", as he panted with exertion. They fell asleep together, joined happily as mates.

As the last bit of daylight faded away and dusk arrived, Misto started to get aroused as soon as he woke up, still penetrated by Tugger's member. Swaying his hips a bit, gently rocking back and forth, he felt Tugger start to get harder. Not being able to control himself, he started to rise and fall rhythmically, and as he got more into this early-evening mating, he noticed Tugger starting to wake up. Misto said, between purrs, "Evening, Tugger. I thought I'd wake you up the fun way."

Smiling in that sexy Tugger way that seem so natural, he said, "And it's an excellent way to wake up." He started to match his partner's efforts and then said, "Hey, do you want to try something? I've always wanted to try being submissive, and I thought maybe we could switch positions for fun."

"I'd like that, you sexy cat, you." With that, Misto slid off and lay down on the bed facing up, his own member rising to a pretty decent size.

Tugger used some Vaseline and nervously took deep breaths, this being his first time on the submissive side. He was sort of scared, but in an excitable way, similar to how he felt before his first mating ever. "Do you mind if I take it slow? I'm kinda scared and want to get used to the feeling as we go."

"Sure, we can go as slow as you want. I'm certainly in no rush." Misto watched his partner position himself over top of his member, letting it poke at his entrance. Taking a deep breath, he started to slide down, going a bit red in the face because he was embarrassed at how exposed he looked while mating this way. Then it went a deeper shade of red for another reason – he was starting to really enjoy this. It was a peculiar kind of pleasure, but he could see why Misto liked it so much.

Misto purred as he experienced his first dominant sexual encounter, now understanding how much fun Tugger really got to have. He still preferred being on the submissive end, but he definitely wouldn't mind doing this from time to time. Just as he started to get really close to climax, Tugger spilled himself on Misto's chest, which sent the black tuxedo cat over the edge as he emptied into his partner.

Tugger slid off with a bit of effort and said, "That was absolutely amazing! I'd love to do this again from time to time, how about you?" Spent, Misto managed, "Definitely. Hey, we should clean ourselves off. Unless you want to walk around the junkyard with the results of our fun dripping out your backside. Get on all fours, and I'll clean you up, okay?"

Tugger complied, and then felt the rather odd, yet pleasant sensation of his partner licking him clean. Once done, Misto said, "Mind helping me out? You kinda spilled out all over my chest."

Tugger replied hesitantly, "Sure", never having done this before. Once he started, he found that he actually liked it in an odd way, losing track of time until it was all gone.

"Thanks; now let's go get something real to eat. I could really go for a bag of Lays, and I think Mungo and Teazer brought some back not that long ago."


	4. Chapter 4

On their way back from visiting Mungo and Teazer, Misto and Tugger were confronted by a very angry Bombalurina who was burning holes into Tugger with her look of fury.

"What in Everlasting Cat's name are you doing? How dare you settle down and leave me behind! And even worse, you left me for a Tom! A Tom! Me, the most beautiful queen around, gets dumped for a tiny little tuxedo cat! Tugger, I can't believe you – you've got to be screwing with me, aren't you? But what's scary is that it isn't a joke. It's no secret that you're mating with him – Misto isn't exactly the quietest when he reaches climax, so we get to broadcast Bombi's rejection around the junkyard. You know, you really don't have any sense of loyalty, do you?"

Tugger just stood there holding Misto's hand, absolutely stunned as Bombalurina continued her tirade. Starting to lose his temper, he shouted back, "Bombi, shut up. You know as well as I do that we were never going to have a real relationship. You're not the right personality for me, because, well, look at you! You're pacing back and forth with steam practically coming out of your ears! I can't continue sleeping around forever – I've got to settle down a bit with one singular mate, and guess what? It isn't you, it's him. So go huff off, cool down, and find a nice alley cat to sleep with tonight."

Bombalurina replied in a dangerously low voice, "Tugger, you can be such an asshole. You don't even consider the needs of others. I'm never going to find a partner better in bed than you, but you could care less."

Misto's temper rarely flared up, and when it did, he tended to keep it tucked away and bottled up. But today was different; he could feel his fur stand up a bit with genuine rage. He cut in, "Bombi, shut up and listen to me. Take notes if you're not clever enough to get it the first time. Tugger's _my_ partner. Mine. And if you ever insult him again, I'll have your hide. Got that?"

Bombalurina stood there and looked a bit stunned at the assertive tuxedo cat that was usually so quiet. Before she could come up with a clever comeback, Misto and Tugger disappeared in a black plume of smoke, something that would later become Misto's signature of uncontrolled anger.

Looking around his and Misto's den with a confused expression, Tugger said, "Hey, thanks for that. Bombi wasn't going to shut up, and I appreciate you sparing me any more of her furious tirade. But what I'm really curious about is how you got us back here – I thought your magic didn't mature until you became a Tom..."

Misto replied, "I did too, but I wouldn't be surprised if today was my birthday and Macavity had it wrong all these years – it would be just like him to not pay any attention to a day that was special to someone other than himself."

Tugger smiled and said, "Well, let this be your first happy birthday. Happy birthday, love," and then they kissed.

Misto broke away from the kiss first and said with a mischievous smile, "Let's go find a small, secluded clearing and see just how far my magic goes."

They walked for a while through the heaps of junk until they found a clearing well-suited to their purposes. Misto picked up an old can and placed it in the middle. "Stand back; let's see how much damage I can inflict on that metal can."

Misto closed his eyes and held his paws in front of him, palms facing out. Sparks started to dance around his fingers, casting a blue light over the white parts of his fur. When he opened his eyes again, looking like he was in deep concentration, his normally-amber eyes were shocking blue. He pulled his paws back a little and then pushed them forward abruptly, sending a stream of what resembled lightning at the can. Within a few seconds, it was replaced by a small pile of grey ash. Misto turned around to face Tugger, his eyes returning to normal, and he smiled with satisfaction. "Let's try something a bit more impressive. Any ideas?"

Tugger, with a look of awe, said, "Judging from what you just did, I'm going to guess that your magic is about 30% more powerful than your father's. If you're confident, I suppose you could try to make it rain lightly."

Misto smiled and said, "Sure, that sounds fun. Give me a minute." He started to make rather grand gestures in the air, and within a few seconds, he conjured dark clouds that started to rain lightly everywhere except the small circle in which he stood. "You don't mind getting wet, but it makes me cold."

"Well, I've never seen anything like this. You're amazing! Hey, why don't you try conjuring Munkustrap over to see this? Maybe we could incorporate it into the upcoming Jellicle Ball in a month or so."

"I'd like that; hold on." Deeply concentrating again, Misto conjured Munkustrap, but slightly misjudged location and dropped him onto the ground from about two feet in the air. Not expecting the sudden change in scenery or the drop, he fell far from gracefully.

Standing up, quite disgruntled and confused at not being in his den, he spotted Misto and said, "What the hell happened? I'm either a sleepwalker or something really strange is at work."

With an expression of satisfaction touched with a bit of embarrassment, Misto said, "My real birthday is actually today – I just found out – and as a result, my magic was amplified. I'm a lot more impressive now; I conjured you from your den to here with only a moderate amount of effort. Sorry about my aim, it needs practice – I didn't mean to make you fall."

Still trying to wrap his head around how he got there, Munkustrap said, "It's okay; I'm just a little disgruntled. Mind if I see you do a bit of magic? You've peaked my inherent feline curiosity."

Misto replied, "Sure; what do you want to see?"

Wondering how far the little tuxedo cat's magic really went, he said, "Can you disappear and reappear a few feet away?"

Nodding his assent, Misto closed his eyes in a most profound state of concentration. He spun on his right heel once and disappeared in a shower of sparks, instantly reappearing to the left of Munkustrap, and smiled at the striped tabby's look of wonder.

Munkustrap said, "Well, I've never met a cat so clever as who I think can be appropriately referred to as the Magical, Marvellous Mr. Mistoffelees. You're one hell of a cat, Misto. You know, I think you should get your own song at the next Jellicle Ball; how comfortable would you be with performing for others? You'd have about two months to prepare."

Misto beamed and said, "I'd love to! But I'm afraid I can't really perform, dance, and sing at the same time. Hey Tugger, would you narrate for me?"

After Tugger responded with, "Of course; I love singing", Misto eagerly stated that he wanted to start right away. With that, he immediately began to practice fouettés en tournant, which are exceptionally difficult.

As Tugger and Munkustrap sat there watching the elegant Misto dance, the former leaned over and said quietly, "He really is beautiful, isn't he?"

Replying without looking away, in a somewhat mesmerized state, Munkustrap said, "You really know how to pick 'em, Tugger. I don't think you could have done any better."

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><p><em>There will be more chapters in a little while, so check back often. Any suggestions for where the story should go are also welcomed. <em>


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry that this chapter is so short. I promise the next one will be longer._

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><p>It was the evening before the Jellicle Ball, and Misto woke up almost immediately as dusk set in; he could sleep no longer due to the nervous anxiety he was experiencing. Tomorrow was going to be his first time dancing in front of more than just a couple of cats, and simply thinking of that made most of the blood drain from his cheeks as his heart sank.<p>

Instead of getting up, he rolled over so he was facing the makeshift window of the den and stared out, completely consumed by his nervousness. Tugger started to wake up and immediately noticed his partner's breathing to be erratic and fast; he wondered if it was similar to the pre-performance anxiety that he had experienced in past years. Shifting over, he rubbed Misto's shoulder and said, "Hey, are you alright?"

Misto took a deep breath and replied, "Yeah, but I'm experiencing a state of anxiety-ridden panic. I'm really excited about tomorrow night, but I'm also really, _really_ scared at the same time."

Tugger moved closer to his partner in their makeshift bed and hugged him to his chest fur. "Listen, you'll do great. And I'll be there singing the whole time. Just try not to worry about it until the time comes."

"I wish I could, but my mind seems fixated on it. I can't relax; it's making me really tense."

Reaching up, Tugger started to massage Misto's shoulders, hoping it could release some of that tension. Almost immediately, Misto started to purr, and said, "Wow, you're really good at that…Ah! Right there."

Tugger continued and said, "I'm glad I could help a bit. Hey, do you want to watch me practice for my song tomorrow? Maybe watching me will stop you from fretting over your own song."

Misto replied, "Sure; I'd like that." After his tension was mostly gone from the massage, he continued, "Here, I'll save us the walk over all the junk to that little clearing." He grasped his partner's hand and they disappeared in a puff of white smoke, reappearing in their preferred practice spot.

Misto watched his partner dance in that sexy way that came so naturally to him and let all his worries slip from his mind.

It was the evening of the Jellicle Ball, and Misto was feeling a massive amount of anxiety again. He had only woken up a few minutes ago; Tugger was still asleep. He nudged his partner and said, "I'll be back in a few minutes – you don't need to get up." With that, he started out to go see Jenny, the older Gumbie Cat that knew so much about healing and medicine, figuring that she might be able to help him with the anxiety that was quickly evolving into a state of hysteria.

Arriving at Jenny's, he knocked on the door. The older cat opened it and said, "Oh, hey Misto, what's going on?" After he explained the pre-performance anxiety, she replied, "Aw, I'm really sorry to hear that. Come in and sit down; I'll try to find you something."

Mumbling as she rummaged through bins of random stuff in no particular order, she said, "Teazer gets me medicines from the pharmacy down the road when she can... And if I recall correctly... Ah!" Jenny produced an orange prescription bottle that was relatively large compared to her size. Removing one of the light green pills inside, she said, "This is called Ativan - don't ask me how it works because I honestly don't know, but it gets rid of anxiety. These are designed for human use and are 0.5 mg, but the dose for a small cat like you would be 0.1 mg, so I'll break it into five pieces."

Misto replied, "No need." With that, he used a few sparks to perfectly split the pill into five slices exactly equal, and took one from the palm of Jenny's paw. He took the segment with a bit of water and said, "Thanks, Jenny - you're awesome. Can I have a few of those in case my anxiety comes back?"

She handed him the other four pieces and said, "Sure, but don't take them more than four times a day, and only every 6 hours."

"Hey, do you mind if I just sit down for a few minutes and wait for the Ativan to kick in?"

"Not at all." After a few moments of silence, she said, "The air feels strange and heavy this evening. I don't know - maybe it's just the magic of the Ball and I've never noticed before."

"Yeah, I've noticed that too. It's playing havoc with my magic. Look." Misto held out his hand to show Jenny the sparks dancing around his fingers that were an unnatural purple shade. "That's been going on for only about fifteen minutes."

Jenny's heart sank like a stone, and she suspected right away that this effect was an unknown interaction between his and Macavity's magic coming in close proximity to each other. She tried to stay calm and convinced herself that she was just paranoid. "Ah, it's probably nothing. With the magic of the Ball and everything, you know." But deep down, she knew that Macavity was coming.

"Thanks, Jenny. Anyway, I better get going; I'll see you at the Ball."

Arriving back at their den, Misto said to his partner, "I've been experiencing that awful anxiety again, so I went and got some help from Jenny. She gave me some sort of green pill – Ativan, I think – and it really worked."

Tugger said, "Aw, you should have woken me up and I could have tried to help. At any rate, I'm glad to hear that you're okay now." They hugged for a moment, and then Tugger said, "Hey, you better fix your fur up a bit - the Ball's in 20 minutes."

A few sparks danced around Misto's fur and left his coat absolutely pristine. He said, "Let's go; we don't want to be late."

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><p>Dusk was just setting in the evening after the Ball; Tugger and Misto were holding each other and fast asleep. The song of the Magical, Mystical Mr. Mistoffelees went really well, and everyone especially loved the bolts of lightning and the little explosions. All in all, the entire thing was a success, as it would continue to be for many years.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

_Note: If you read my story called Mystical Attraction, you might notice I borrowed quite a bit from it in this story. That story was more of an experiment than a real work, so I'm working what I liked from it into this more complex version. If you haven't read my other story, ignore this note._

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><p>A little over three weeks had passed since Misto performed for the first time at the Jellicle Ball. At this time of year, rain was common. The sky was pouring torrentially and there was lightning; Misto and Tugger were both fast asleep, as it was about 1:00 in the afternoon.<p>

Munkustrap knocked forcefully on the door to the couple's den and yelled over the sound of the storm, "Hey, come quickly. I'm sorry for waking you up in the middle of the day, but this is really important. Coricopat and Tantomile saw something."

Tugger was the first to sit up, his fur ruffled from lying down. He nudged his partner and said, "Hey, Munkustrap's here and he says we've got to go – it's important."

Misto rose and rubbed his eyes, then said, "Alright, then I guess we should go. Here, at least you should look decent." A few blue sparks shot from his hands and perfected his partner's fur. "Let's go."

Opening the door, Misto said, "Munkustrap, take my paw. Tugger, take my other paw. At least we won't have to get soaked on the way. I'm assuming we're going to the meeting space in the old truck in the junkyard?" Once Munkustrap nodded, Misto concentrated and they disappeared in a plume of smoke.

The appearance of Misto, Tugger, and Munkustrap right out of thin air made Coricopat and Tantomile's coats stand on end. The former cat said, "I don't think we'll ever quite get used to that. How are you three doing?"

Tugger said, "We're all under-slept, but otherwise okay. What's going on? You two look really tense, and the last time you looked like that..." Tugger cut himself off, realizing what was happening, and said, "You sensed Macavity." Misto's fur bristled at the name of his most hated father.

Coricopat spoke first, saying, "Yes. We don't know how he found us, but we think he knows Mistoffelees is here. Maybe he sensed Misto's use of magic?"

Misto interjected, "That's not possible. Before I ran away from my wretched father, I stole an enchanted ring from him. I copied the enchantment into myself and destroyed the original. It's purpose was to evade detection by supernatural means; my father was always paranoid that he'd encounter a cat as powerful as him one day, so he made the ring to give himself an edge. The reason he can't find me is that he can't penetrate his own enchantment that I now possess."

Tantomile cut in and said, "But couldn't he have found a way to breach it? Maybe he discovered a loophole?"

Shaking his head, Misto stated, "Not possible. He was so paranoid that he made the enchantment in such a way that not even he could break it. That way he knew no one else could break it either. And even if he did want to find a loophole, I destroyed the original ring, meaning he would have nothing to work with. Maybe he noticed one of the dramatic explosions I made to entertain the kittens?"

Munkustrap said, "No, I don't think so. It wouldn't be possible for Macavity or one of his henchcats to get that close without one of the twins noticing. Misto, have you used your magic on any of the cats that leave the junkyard from time to time?"

Misto replied, "Well, I healed a small cut Jenny got once, and I know she goes into the city sometimes to help deliver kittens from the local alley cats... Oh! I see what you're saying - a cat working for Macavity might have smelled my magic on Jenny when she was out. That would make sense, because the scent usually doesn't go away for two or three days."

Tugger cut in and said, "Yeah, that sounds about right. Regardless, we have to figure out how we're going to respond. Knowing Macavity, he's going to come here, and also knowing how bitter he can be, it's very possible that he'll try to hurt Misto, so we've got to figure something out. Misto, how destructive can the lightning you conjure be, and can you direct it precisely?"

Misto replied, "I imagine it would be lethal, and I think I could aim it if I had to. Tugger, I'm really scared. I don't want this to be happening."

Tugger hugged his partner and said, "Hey, you're gonna be alright. We won't let anything bad happen to you. Munkustrap, I don't want to leave Misto alone in our bed while I stand outside and keep watch; he's scared enough as it is. Could we get some volunteers to keep watch in the day while we sleep for the next few days until Macavity comes?"

Munkustrap said, "I'll take shifts, and Alonzo and Demeter have already volunteered to take some too. I think between the three of us, we can keep you two covered."

It was the third night, and Demeter had just taken over for Alonzo. She settled herself and stared into the open junkyard, fur slightly raised at the single thought of Macavity being around. About an hour went by, and as she started to doze a bit, she caught a glint of ginger fur with red stripes out of the corner of her eye. She stood bolt-upright and ran into Tugger and Misto's den.

Nudging Tugger violently, she whispered frantically, "Macavity's coming. Get up, and get Misto up. We've got to go outside and be ready for him. I'm not about to let him do one more evil deed towards the Jellicles."

Tugger wiped his eyes and woke Misto up gently, yet urgently. "Hey, he's here. C'mon, we've got to go outside."

They all walked out into the brisk, stormy air, waiting for the appearance of the most wretched of cats. Macavity crept out from behind an old couch in the yard and said, stopping about fifteen feet from Misto, "Well, well. If it isn't my long-lost son. And look, Demi's here. Want to go for another run, Demi?"

Demeter was red in the face with fury and shouted, "You horrible, sick, twisted criminal. I'd kill myself before I'd let you touch me again. May Everlasting Cat curse your soul."

The sinister ginger cat smiled and replied, "But Demi, I think it's a bit late for that. Now, Misto, I'm going to give you two options. Option 1 is you come back with me, acknowledge my superiority, become my apprentice, and I kill everyone here except you. Option 2 is you stay here and die with the others. Your choice; you choose. And don't even think about attacking me; you're not nearly powerful enough because you've never been trained. The most you might accomplish is throwing me across the yard, but let me tell you that that would not be a smart idea."

Misto felt a strange sensation of calm come over him, and he said, "But father, you seem to be forgetting something. I can do this." He shot a bolt of lightning into a spot not six inches from Macavity's hindpaw.

Macavity jumped and replied, "How cute. The little kitten thinks he can frighten me away with an illusion." He paused, then said, "You know, I don't really like Maine Coons. Never have - they're too damn fluffy."

At the first step Macavity took towards Tugger, Misto said in a dangerously low voice, "Take another step towards him and I'll burn you to a crisp where you stand." His eyes had changed from their normal bright blue state to an icy, darker shade that ebbed cold anger.

Macavity snapped, "I don't think I like that tone." He shot a thin bolt of red light at Misto, who immediately fell to the ground. Tugger ran over and crouched by his partner, then looked at Munkustrap and said, "He's breathing, but only barely."

Turning his head towards Macavity, he shouted, "You _bastard_. You hurt your own flesh and blood. You hurt everyone around you, you egotistical sadist. You only care for yourself; you're a complete sociopath."

But Macavity wasn't listening to Tugger's angry tirade. Instead, he was watching Misto's body with an increasing amount of horror showing on his face. Sparks were dancing around every square inch of Mistoffelees' fur, which glistened with an almost supernatural glow. He started to breathe more deeply, and within moments, he opened his bright blue eyes. Tugger was watching by now and couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Misto stood up and brushed his fur off. He looked at the horror-stricken Macavity and said, "Thanks for trying to put me in a coma, dad. I think I've learned a new trick - I seem to be able to absorb magic. Which is very, very bad for you."

Macavity conjured a ball of fire and threw it at Misto in hopes that that would incapacitate him again. On the contrary, Misto held up a hand and caught it, to the dismay of his miserable father. He infused the ball with sparks of electricity and threw it back, hitting cruel, pathetic excuse for a parent in the chest.

Clutching the fur over the area where he was injured, Macavity said, "I knew I should have killed you. You're pathetic; you are held hostage by your emotions. You could have been so powerful at my side." He rose with a bit of struggle and said, "Well, I'll just come back again and again until I wear you down."

Misto whispered in a dangerously low tone, "You're not going to hurt anybody ever again." With that, he shot a stream of sparks into his father's chest, who fell to the ground again.

"Alas, I suppose you're a killer all the same." With that, he fell forward. After half of a minute of unconsciousness, he stopped breathing and died.

Shedding a single tear, Misto turned to Tugger and said, "I can't believe he's really dead. And I killed him. It seemed like the right decision at the time, but I can't help thinking that Macavity still had a right to live, no matter how wretched his soul was. And I took that away from him; for that I feel awful."

Tugger hugged his partner to his chest and said, "Listen, you did what you had to do. Macavity would have terrorized the tribe if he was allowed to live. He would have continued to kill over and over. You had no choice; it was either he was going to kill you and everyone else, or you had to dispose of him. The other cats aren't going to think of you as a murderer; they'll think of you as a hero."

Misto managed through tears, "But what if he could have changed? What if we could have captured him and taught him our ways until he saw the errors in his? I deprived him of that opportunity."

Tugger replied, "Hey, that's not possible. Macavity was a complete sociopath; he had no remorse, no regret, and an attachment disorder to boot. He couldn't feel loyalty or love for anyone. You couldn't have fixed him."

Wiping away the tears, Misto said, "You're probably right, but it's just really emotionally taxing to kill another cat, no matter how much it was needed."

Tugger hugged Misto tightly and said, "I know. Just remember that we're all here for you and always will be, and I'll always love you."

Munkustrap and Demeter had left by now to give the couple some privacy. The magical cat and his Maine Coon partner walked off to their den to get a decent sleep before the evening came.


End file.
